Kane Williamson felt Suryakumar Yadav was the big difference between India and New Zealand.
Team India might have ended their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign on a disappointing note, but Suryakumar Yadav is not in a mood to stop his thundersome, as the batter played yet another blistering knock that left one and all going gaga over him.
Suryakumar smashed his second T20I hundred to help the Indian cricket team record a massive 65-run win over New Zealand in the second T20I match at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval on Sunday (November 20).
With the win, India took a 1-0 lead in the T20I series with the third and final T20I to be played on November 22 in Napier. Notably, the first T20I match was abandoned due to rain on November 18.
Well, the right-hander went berserk at the New Zealand bowlers, as he hammered a remarkable knock of 111* off 51 balls laced with 11 fours and 7 sixes to help India post 191/6 in the 20 overs.
In reply, New Zealand could manage only 126 runs, with captain Kane Williamson being the highest run getter for the hosts with a hard-fought knock of 61 runs off 52 balls against India.
After the massive defeat, Williamson showered rich praise on Suryakumar for his match-winning knock, saying the in-form batter was the difference between the two sides in the second T20I at Bay Oval.
Kane Williamson told Prime Video after the match: “It was not our best effort. Surya's innings was out of this world. One of the best knocks I've ever seen. Some of those shots, I've never seen before. They were outstanding, we weren't upto mark. We didn't get momentum with the ball, didn't get enough wickets and didn't get momentum with the bat either.”
He signed off by saying, “It was frustrating. Again, I'll say about Suryakumar, his innings was the difference. It did swing a bit (in the chase) and India did well to get some swing. Important to look at those few areas and improve. Need to look at the small margins. Sometimes, a special innings can happen, Surya is the best player in the world.”